


Forty Letters

by starkerswonderland



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Cheating, Happy Ending?, Hurt, Love Letters, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:40:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27389608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkerswonderland/pseuds/starkerswonderland
Summary: Being with Tony Stark was not always easy. But it got impossible, when Tony made the biggest mistake possible. Tony cheated on Peter. Will he be able to get Peter back?
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 20
Kudos: 141





	Forty Letters

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Sweeties!   
> I got an anon ask on tumblr to write this, the prompt was: tony cheating on peter with pepper then few years later they reunited and tony asked peter for a second chance
> 
> I tried to make something out of this :D I hope you all enjoy!  
> Thank you so so so much for any kudos, comments, bookmarks or just clicking on my story and reading it! I really appreciate it!

Tony had never said those words. In a whole year of being with him, Peter had never heard the words ‘I love you’ out of his mouth.

At first, he didn’t mind. Because Tony never failed to show his affection, even without words Tony made clear how much Peter meant to him. But sometimes he just wished to hear it. Tony told him once that he never said it to anyone and secretly Peter hoped he would be the first one to hear them. It would have made him feel as if he was the first really special person to him.

Peter knew a relationship with Tony Stark would be everything but not usual, not easy. This man had so many issues, he had built up walls around himself so high probably no one could ever climb them. But Peter wanted to try at least.

He never complained about the long nights Tony spent alone in his lab, he never commented on too many glasses of Scotch on a day. And he never said anything if one of the many past one-night-stands wanted to hit on Tony again. Because Tony promised him these days were over. And Peter believed him.

Until he couldn't anymore.

Peter had prepared dinner for the two of them, Tony had spent all day at Stark Industries, meeting after meeting and Peter knew all Tony needed now would be a calm, cosy evening.

As soon as the older one came in through the elevator Peter knew something was wrong. Tony was....drunk. Not the usual "I had two glasses to keep myself steady"- version of drunk.

Really drunk.

With watery eyes and a pained expression in his face. Whatever had happened, it was something grave.

"Tony..? Oh shit what happened?", he rushed towards his lover to hold him but Tony turned away. He couldn't look into his eyes and Peter felt something tightening in his chest. "...Tony..?"  
Even after the worst nightmares – which Tony had often – he had never refused Peter like that.

After a few moments of silence Tony finally spoke. "I fired Pepper", was all he managed to press out, his voice filled with guilt. "What? Why? ..damn Tony please tell me what's going on!"

More silence. Tony rubbed one hand over his face, shaking his head. Peter had never seen him like this. So…miserable.

"I fucked her..."

Peter's face grew pale. He smiled, confused, hoping this would be some kind of joke. A weird one.

"Very funny...tell me what happened..", Peter said with a thin voice. He felt sick.

"...Peter...I didn’t mean to do that, I was frustrated, drunk and she...it was a huge mistake...", it was barely more than some mumbling but it was enough to make Peter willing to faint. He couldn't say anything, his throat felt as if an invisible monster was tightening its grip around it. Tears welled up in his eyes and he took a step back. Tony still looked at him like a beaten puppy.

He never would have thought Tony would do that to him. He had trusted him...

"Peter...say something...please. yell at me...anything..", Tony quietly begged still struggling to stand straight but Peter just couldn't. There were no words he could say, there were no feelings inside him. Everything felt numb...until the pain hit in.

He had given Tony all of him, his heart, his time, his full attention. And Tony never managed to really open up to him…not only that…he instead chose to break Peter too.

Peter turned away, tears running down his cheeks. He left the food on the stove...and Tony alone in the apartment.

It was the day all they had or ever hoped to have died.

Three years had passed and it was a beautiful autumn morning. Golden rays of sunshine bathed Peter's apartment in a cosy atmosphere. He sat at the large window in his tiny kitchen. It allowed a perfect view on the town. Sometimes Peter loved to just watch the people and cars rushing through the streets, all minding their own business. This morning, he had nowhere to be. Not yet. He could just enjoy the coffee in his hands and the sun on his skin, warming him. He felt like he would need a lot of strength for the day. He was invited to Steve's marriage and there was a high chance he would get to meet Tony there.

They hadn't seen each other for three years. But never, never was there a moment that Peter could let go of him. Probably because Tony had tried so much and so hard to get him back.

A few weeks after the break up Peter could eventually make Tony stop calling him or visiting him. He told him he needed the distance and Tony respected that.

However, since that day...Peter got letters. One each month.

It was very unusual for Tony to send handwritten letters...and at the beginning it just hurt so much to read them as they were filled with love and apologies...

After a year, the content of the letters changed a bit...Tony wrote that he realized that all his excuses were nonsense...he had made the biggest mistake of his life and nothing could ever explain or excuse it. Peter could definitely agree on that.

He felt nervous every time he got one more letter...in a way, he was even more nervous that one day he would not get one anymore. He never answered them, maybe one day Tony would get tired of writing them, or give up the fight to get him back.

By now, he had thirty-nine letters...All carefully stored in a black box under his bed. Sometimes, after hard days, he just read them again. It was like Tony was with him...All his love was with him then... he wasn't sure if he could ever forgive Tony for what he did...but if he liked it or not, he still loved him.

Walking into the beautiful decorated location was like diving into another world. Steve went over to him and hugged him. He probably knew the internal battle Peter was fighting for coming here and was grateful that he still made it. "Hey Pete, how are you? Damn I am glad you join the party", he said and wrapped an arm around his shoulder to drag him to a group of people Peter didn’t know yet. He was thankful for Steve doing this, the company of some strangers would surely help to calm and not focus on looking for Tony.

But it didn’t work for long. Peter spotted him, as if his eyes were magically drawn to that table. Tony was sitting there all alone...with a glass of water - he had mentioned in one of the letters, a year ago, that he did not touch a single drop of alcohol anymore. Tony watched the people standing in groups, laughing, enjoying the time. He seemed so...out of place. Peter felt an aching in his chest...

He quickly turned away to stay strong and went over to the table where he was seated. His name was on a card, written in a beautiful curved font and decorated with a rose. On his plate there was an envelope. He frowned as no one else on the table seemed to have one. He sat down and opened it... within a second, he recognized the handwriting and a lump forming in his throat.

_Dear Peter,_

_this is number forty. I know because it means I haven't been with you for forty months. You have no idea how I feel, knowing I am going to see you today._

_Hell, I miss you so much, Peter._

_I don't know if you will be coning alone…or with someone. I won’t lie, the thought of seeing you with someone else is killing me. But I know one day there will be someone. You could never be not loved. You deserve to be loved._

_I promised myself that I would fight for you as long as I live, that I could never give up on you. You are a part of me, Peter, you are my heart and without it I barely feel alive. But maybe you need me to stop? To let you go?_

_Peter, I need to know if there is any chance for you to come back to me._

_I changed. Not just for myself. I want to be the man you deserve._

_This letter will be much shorter than all my other ones, because we are both here._

_And…when the music starts…I will come to you...and I will ask you for a dance._

_I will ask just once…and if you feel like you could ever feel something for me again, if you believe we could make it one day, you and me again, then you will say yes… and if you don’t…if you want me to stop the letters and let you go…just say no._

_I will accept your decision, whatever it will be._

_Just know, Peter, that I love you. More than anything. And I want to say those words to you in person, if you allow me to._

_In love,_

_Tony_

Peter’s hands were shaking lightly. Carefully he put the letter back on the table, closing his eyes for a moment. Maybe it was the worst decision to come here today…or the best? His feelings went crazy…there was chaos in his heart, chaos in his head.

He was almost thankful for the other guests to sit on the table with him, so he could think of anything else. Still, his heart was thumping like crazy. Peter felt as if he was not really present here, he just tried to not look into Tony’s direction. As the newly-wed couple started their dance, Peter felt almost nauseous. A quick look to the door. Maybe he should just run?

Peter slowly looked up as he felt the presence of someone next to him. Tony. He could tell just by the scent…the scent he missed so much…and once loved so much…still did. Their eyes locked and time stood still.

“Shall we dance?”


End file.
